A short walk to Lychnostatis Folklore Museum

I do like Ethnographic Museums, and usually find plenty to enthrall me.  A short walk down the hill and along the seashore from our Hotel in Hersonisos, is the Lychostatis Outdoor Folklore Museum.  (This link gives views of the Museum.)

There is an entrance just off the sand, and with the main entrance on the road side. By the entrance booth, there is a pretty shaded garden with local fruit trees and plants.  We stopped to watch a film about the Museum, in itself quite a period piece and worth sitting through.

In one area of the grounds is a large carob processing machine.  The trees flourish in many parts of the island.  I started to take an interest in carob when we first visited Cyprus, and have enjoyed it on our Mediterranean, Morocan,  Madeira and La Gomera Holidays.  I love the syrup, and during a coffee and cake break at the Museum, Mr S opted for a cup of 'Carob coffee', and he had already made himself some back home with a packet brought in Museum Shop.

Most interesting was the typical small farm house.  I'm sure the wall at the back of the hearth would have been blackened, however the pots and pans, irons etc had been well used.

I liked the sleeping arrangements...up some steps with the area underneath filled with a weaving loom.

The roof was packed with prickly bushes to stop mice, and foodstuffs such as this cheese balance on a cool airy suspended shelf.

Bottles protected with woven straw

And running water too, what a luxury...but first you have to fill the tank from the well.....

Up the stairs by the fireplace there is a room set out as a Cretan middleclass home with some wonderful handicrafts.  It is set out as an upper chamber with bed and lots of lovingly made items.

Its with great pride that Cretan parents provide each their daughters with trousseaus of hand made items for her new home.  As explained to us during a culture talk at the hotel, mothers spend years preparing for this.  I wonder whether these two beautiful blouses from 1910, were ever worn, or just kept as heirlooms.

The embroidery details on the circular cloth were simple, yet so elegant and stylistic.

There are ample examples of the fine work as shown by these cushions.

This wonderful example of weaving from 1875 still strong colours, shows many patterns.  I could not help taking lots of close up details..and will not doubt be inspired at some later date to incorporate some into an embroidery or knitting project.

Every aspect of making yarns, from silk to wool seems to have been undertaken in Crete

There were some really beautiful throws and blankets in Elani's weaving and plant-dyeing workshop.

Another area which was well presented was the Herbarium.  Crete is certainly blessed with a multitude of important aromatic herbs.  It was obvious on entry that all the herbs had been recently collected in season and were hanging up to dry.  The little building was cool and airy but still dark when the door was shut.

I'm not sure what this gate taken somewhere else in the Museum grounds would keep out?  Its a lovely collection of old worn timbers, and a rusty old hand made lock.  Nice installation!

Threshing floor...we found several up in the mountains built on passes where the winds would help with the winnowing.

And of course an old olive press

There were other interesting areas...to fit it all in, arrival at opening time is a must!  However there are other excellent museums on Crete...